The causes of emphysema include:
Smoking. Cigarette smoke is by far the most common cause of emphysema. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, including secondhand smoke. These chemical irritants slowly destroy the small peripheral airways, the elastic air sacs and their supporting elastic fibers.
Protein deficiency. Approximately 1 to 2 percent of people with emphysema have an inherited deficiency of a protein called AAt, which protects the elastic structures in the lungs. Without this protein, enzymes can cause progressive lung damage, eventually resulting in emphysema. If you're a smoker with a lack of AAt, emphysema can begin in your 30s and 40s. The progression and severity of the disease are greatly accelerated by smoking.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
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2 comments:
Emphysema is a lung disease. It leads to breathing distress due to a restriction in blowing air out. It is main form of COPD. It is caused due to smoking also even air pollution contributes it. It is still not decipherable. One can use lung gel or lung surgery is the only option.
Its really important to avoid tobacco that contains a lot of nicotine which will eventually lead to this lung disease. Switch to a better alternative that gives same pleasure but less risk to health.
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